Road rage, distracted drivers, aggressive drivers, exhausted truck drivers, even the time of day and weather conditions, can all amplify the dangers of traveling at a high rate of speed and result in serious accidents and pile-ups.

In Massachusetts, highway speed limits are between 55 and 65 mph. Multiple studies have shown that the higher the speed limit, the greater the injuries sustained in accidents are, and increases the likelihood of drivers and passengers being involved in a fatal accident. Road rage, distracted drivers, aggressive drivers, exhausted truck drivers, even the time of day and weather conditions, can all amplify the dangers of traveling at a high rate of speed.

Accidents involving multiple vehicles often make the nightly news because they can shut down roads and highways causing traffic backups, but they also often become “breaking news” because they can result in horrific and catastrophic injuries to multiple drivers and passengers.

Car, truck, SUV, and van accidents can occur on any road or highway. In Brockton, Abington, and Eaton, MA there are particularly dangerous intersections where the likelihood of being involved in a serious accident is statistically higher than in other places (see more information, below.)

But statistics do not matter if you have been injured, or a loved one was killed in a car or other vehicle accident. What matters most is holding those responsible accountable so that you can have closure and the necessary financial resources to begin rebuilding your life.

It’s important for you to understand all your legal options. In some situations you may be able to seek recovery for your injuries against more than one person. We understand that you might have a close personal relationship with the driver. But if he or she was negligent and caused your injuries you shouldn’t be the one left on the hook for your lost wages and medical expenses. People purchase insurance for a reason. Going against your friends insurance company isn’t the same thing as going after your friend personally.

Side Impact Auto Accidents, or “T-bone Accidents,” occur when the passenger or driver’s side of an automobile is hit by another vehicle. These kinds of crashes are extremely dangerous because the force generated by the car crashing into the side is absorbed by the passenger’s body. That is because there isn’t a lot material separating the passenger from the impact. On the other hand, take head-on collisions where the force from the impact is first absorbed by the front-end, engine and dashboard before it reaches the passenger.

Interstate highways are often filled with aggressive drivers weaving in and out of traffic, that tail gate, or travel at excessive speeds. All of these things can lead to serious accidents that can cause catastrophic injuries or even death.

Our attorneys fight hard for accident victims — we will aggressively seek to get you a fair settlement offer, but prepare each case thoroughly in the event we need to go to trial. Our law firm has the resources and trial law experience to get you the maximum compensation possible.

We take car accident and personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis — there is no fee for you unless we recover in a settlement or in a verdict. Call our accident victims law offices today for a free legal consultation. There is no obligation and our attorneys will not pressure you — the only pressure we put on anyone is insurance companies that refuse to pay fairly on accident victims’ claims.

A backover accident is when a motor vehicle backs into a pedestrian or person on a bicycle usually when the motor vehicle operator is trying to back out of a driveway or parking spot. They are typically low impact collisions occurring at a few miles per hour.

SUV and passenger van accidents claims can be very complicated. To get the compensation you deserve after an serious SUV or passenger van rollover accident, you need a skilled attorney. In cases involving the liability on the part of the manufacturer the other side will seek to put the blame on driver error or negligence. In these cases where liability is not in question the insurance company will be more willing to pay you compensation for your injuries.

A quick swerve or a long turn along a windy road rarely leads to SUV or passenger van rollovers. Instead, most SUV rollovers are caused when the vehicle “trips” over something when it swerves. Hitting a manhole cover, sidewalk curb, wall, grass or dirt field or a pothole can each be the final straw that causes an SUV to roll over unexpectedly. According to the federal government about 95% of all rollovers occur when vehicles are tripped like this.

The state of Massachusetts and its municipalities have a responsibility to provide, and maintain, safe driving conditions on the state’s roads and highways. This includes installing stop signs and traffic lights in the proper locations, clearing away trees or foliage that obscure traffic signs or create blind spots, not allowing trucks to park in locations that can interfere with a driver’s line of sight, and, of course, promptly plowing roads and fixing potholes.

The standard Massachusetts Automobile policy provides coverage for any medical bills, lost earnings or pain and suffering if the holder of a Massachusetts automobile insurance policy has been the victim if a hit and run. Most insurance policy holders don’t realize that their own auto insurance automatically providers coverage in this hit-run situation.

Insurance companies are often quick to dismiss claims for personal injuries resulting from this mild impact rear-end fender bender type accidents. They are more inclined to be dismissive if the accident resulted in minor visible damage to the car. However, serious injuries can still arise from rear-end car crashes that don’t occur at high rates of speed or cause major vehicle damage. Even the mildest car accidents can result in life-altering injuries.

If you are involved in an accident caused by a teenaged driver—whether as a fellow driver, a pedestrian, or a property owner—the team at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan can help you to recover damages. In many cases, parents have not exercised due care to prevent their teenagers from driving unsafely (for example, knowingly lending their car to a teen without a license, or allowing that teen to drive to a party where they suspect alcohol is being served). If a teen procures drinks at a bar or restaurant, you may also be able to hold the establishment’s owner responsible for any ensuing car accident.

Massachusetts law requires everyone operating a motor vehicle on Massachusetts roads to carry auto insurance. However, often times people do not operate automobiles with insurance. There are several reasons why someone could be found to be operating a car without insurance: they may have canceled their policy before joining a new insurance provider; they are passing through Massachusetts and live in another state that doesn’t require auto insurance; or they are operating someone else’s vehicle without their consent (Massachusetts insurance policies do not cover accidents caused by an operator driving an insured’s car without the insured’s permission).

It can be especially difficult to recover damages from the perpetrator of a hit-and-run accident, for the obvious reason: if the person responsible for hitting you, your property, or your car doesn’t stop, and police are unable to identify him or his vehicle, you have no one to hold liable for your injuries or property damage. Fortunately, the uninsured motorist insurance policies that all drivers in Massachusetts are required to buy requires a payout in these kinds of hit-and-run incidents. If your insurance company refuses to settle your claim, the attorneys at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan can present convincing evidence that the hit-and-run accident in fact occurred and was not your fault.

Driving without insurance is often associated with other antisocial behaviors: for example, a significant number of uninsured drivers involved in car accidents turn out to have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If this is the case, it may be possible to take action against the restaurant or bar that served the customer alcohol, regardless of whether they were aware of the driver’s insurance status. Also, if the uninsured driver is not the owner of the car—and if that person drove the car with the owner’s knowledge and consent—then you may be entitled to pursue the car’s owner for damages, rather than the driver.

Liability for the accident on part of the other driver at fault must clearly be established before an insurance company will pay out a settlement. Our Brockton car crash attorneys know how to investigate vehicle accidents that occur at intersections and have been handling claims on behalf of clients injured in intersection accidents for over thirty years. We know the traffic laws that pertain to intersection accidents and we can make a clear-cut case as to why the other party is at-fault for the accident and your injuries.

On September 30, 2010, Massachusetts enacted a law requiring drivers aged 75 or older to personally visit the Registry of Motor Vehicles and undergo a vision test if they wish to renew their licenses. While an improvement over the previous situation, the law stops short of testing elderly drivers for driving skills or cognitive functioning, as is done in some other states. In the year leading up to the law’s enactment, elderly drivers complained to their representatives about being treated as children, somewhat muting the bill’s impact.

Massachusetts Liquor Liability or Dram Shop Laws don’t just apply to situations involving drunk driving accidents. Dram Shop establishments (any business that serves alcohol) may also be held liable if they over-serve a patron and that patron commits an assault and battery or other violent crime on another patron. In these situations recovery can be sought against both the intoxicated person that caused the injuries and the business establishment that over-served the intoxicated person.

Social host liability laws deal with individual property owners or persons in control of property like home, boat, or hotel room who serves alcohol or allows the consumption of alcohol to occur on their property. Social host liability laws serve to extend liability to any property owner who provides or allows a visibility intoxicated guest or minor to consume alcohol on their property. In these situations the social host can be held liable for any injuries caused by or sustained to the intoxicated guest or minor.

Front-end collision car accidents are regarded as the most dangerous type of accident. A front-end collision results when the front end of two cars, approaching each other, collide with each other. Although head-on collisions don’t account for many of the car accidents that occur on our roadways (2 percent of all accidents are head-on crashes) a great deal of these crashes do account for a large number of motor vehicle related fatalities (head-on car collisions account for ten percent of all roadway fatalities).

There are several causes of tractor-trailer accidents. Truck drivers are expected to work long hours. Often times truck drivers are pushing to meet delivery deadlines and as a result become fatigued or are forced to drive on little sleep. Driving under these conditions is inherently dangerous. 18-wheelers also have more blind spots than the average motor vehicle. Frequently truck drivers will proceed to change lanes or make turns without realizing an automobile is in their blind spot. This can result in the semi side swiping the automobile. However, all passenger vehicles have a duty to accommodate an 18-wheeler’s blind spot. Mechanical failure, drug and alcohol use are some of the other causes of accidents.

Many times, single-car accidents in Massachusetts are caused by unsafe road conditions, for which the state or municipality can be held responsible. But a surprising number of these accidents happen when cars swerve to avoid another car or truck, the driver of which is either distracted (talking on his cell phone, texting, listening to an iPod, arguing with his spouse, lighting a cigarette, simply not paying attention) or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs…

Head-on collisions are far and away the most dangerous (if not the most common) type of car accident, for a simple reason. If you’re traveling at 40 miles per hour and you’re rear-ended by a car going 45 miles per hour, the net impact amounts to only 5 miles per hour of force. But if you’re traveling at 40 miles per hour and collide head-on with a car going 45 miles per hour, the impact both drivers feel will be equivalent to 95 miles per hour—enough to seriously injure, if not kill, the occupants of both cars.

Passengers and drivers of rear-ended cars are especially susceptible to whiplash, a specific type of injury to the neck; other injuries (like ruptured discs or sprains) may not become apparent until days or weeks after the accident. Hitting your head on a steering wheel or dash board can cause concussions, skull and facial fractures, and even traumatic brain injuries. Although air bags are intended to reduce the risk of fatal injuries, they can get off in low speed crashes and cause their own injuries including facial lacerations, concussion, or head or neck injuries…

The owner of the truck is responsible for keeping the vehicle in good operating condition, paying special attention to its brakes, steering column and hauling rig, and the moving company must ensure that its drivers are properly trained and well-rested.

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Attorney Gerald J. Noonan has obtained many favorable settlements and verdicts for automobile accident victims, injuries from slip and fall accidents, and other negligence-related cases.